Blood
While western cuisine includes the use of pig's blood to create Black Pudding, Blutwurst, etc., in China it is customary to collect the blood of all manner of freshly killed livestock and fowls. The blood is stirred until it congeals when it is sealed and refrigerated until ready for use. The resultant cakes are cut into pieces and stewed in spicy soups.

Jiao Yan San Zi
This is a wheat pasta dish fried in oil. Noodles are made from flour, fat a little water and some salt together with spicy flavoring and a little sugar. These are twisted together and then fried in oil. It is a popular dim sum that the local people have for breakfast.

Nanmenkou& Shahejie – Spicy Shrimps
If the Fried Stinky tofu of Huogongdian (Fire Palace) with a 250 year old history tells of the city's past, Kou Wei Xia (Stir-fry Spicy Shrimp) another popular choice near the area of Nanmenkou and Shahejie is a present day story.

The thing that earns the street its reputation is Kou Wei Xia (Stir-fry Spicy Shrimp), another popular market food for Changsha people. The shrimps are lightly boiled in hot water until they turn red. They are then sautéed in cooking oil, with hot chili, ginger, peppers, salt and garlic sauce, shallots and preserved bean curd for just twenty seconds when cooking wine and some water are added. The shrimps are then cooked for a further ten minutes to give them a spicy flavor. The resultant dish is spicy and hot, which is earns it a three peppers indicator on the menu which means it is the hottest. That's Changsha people's favorite! The king of the street is the Sixijie Restaurant on this dining street.

In addition, there are other delicious foods including duck dishes, cold dishes, soups, noodles and dumplings.

Each evening, an array of food stalls and shops near the area of Nanmenkou appear with bowls of bright color shrimps and none can resist the temptation! The crowed market will last late into the night until about three or even four o'clock.

Wulipai – Steamed Dishes

Wulipai Street near the Changsha Railway Station is a good place to find homely dishes at reasonable prices. Jianjun Restaurant on this street is the king of steamed dishes. Here a variety of ingredients ranging from taro to fish, assorted meats and vegetables are steamed in earthen bowls. Two or three bowls of these dishes and rice can feed two couples well.

There are also many restaurants of this kind near Cai'e Nanlu.

Other snacks

Spiced Duck
This is a kind of spiced duck which has been braised in seasoned soups and cooled for eating. One that has been well prepared will be in a delicious brawn.

Deyuan Dumplings (Bao Zi)
Deyuan, a teahouse in the busy area of Huangxing Nanlu, is said to be a century-old place. The traditional Chinese dumplings they make are boasted the best in the city and have a really toothsome appearance. They have fillings of meat, vegetables, shrimps or sweetened beans and others.

Liudefang Tang Yuan
Tang Yuan, is a sweet dumpling made of glutinous rice or wheat flour and is the most popular food for the Chinese Lantern Festival. There is a legend that says one day Liudeyuan, a poor man who lived during the reign of Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty (1821 – 1850), found a shoe-shaped silver ingot in the flour he bought. This flour enabled him to make good quality Tang Yuan and his business thrived. Today's Liudefang Restaurant is said to be the best place to taste it.

Where to Eat
Best of the Best - Highly recommended by visitors

Huogongdian (Fire Palace) Restaurant
First Branch: No. 46, Pozi Jie
Second Branch: No. 258, Laodong Lu
Third Branch: No. 107, Wuyi Donglu

Nameless Restaurant
A small restaurant where you can taste the authentic Changsha dishes with the real taste that is so popular with local people; reasonable priced and recommended as the Number One for visitors.
Address: No. 547, third section of Furong Zhonglu

Plum Garden Shrimps
It is a time-honored restaurant, renowned to be the best of best place to sample the delicious Kou Wei Xia (Spicy Shrimps). Highly recommended!
Address: No. 42, Yinxing Lu, near the Bayi Bridge

Yuloudong
It is this restaurant that brought the famous Spicy Chicken Cubes into the life of Changshas people and visitors throng to sample this typical dish.
Address: near the Changsha Railway Station

Mona Lisa Restaurant [Western Style]
This Euro-style restaurant provides western style food, ice cream and drinks. 150-200 yuan will cover enough for three people. The atmosphere is quite good.
Address: Furong Lu

Dyou Coffee [Western Style]
Address: 2nd floor in Yuhua Building, Furong Zhonglu, near the crossing of Renmin Lu

 Travel Group's Choices

Muslim Donglaixing Restaurant
Address: No. 1, Wuyi Xilu

Tianxin Fried Chicken
Address: No. 97, Jiefang Donglu

Circle Restaurant
Address: 29th floor, Zhongshan Hotel at No. 69, Huangxing Zhonglu

 Century-Old Restaurants

The best can only stand test of time, do not miss them.

Dongjiujia at No. 9, Bayi Donglu
Changsha Doupi at No. 44, Huangxing Zhonglu
Shuangyan Wonton at No. 179, Huangxing Nanlu
Tianjin Snacks at No. 73, Jiefang Lu
Yangyuxing Noodle at Jiefang Lu
Ganchangshun Noodle at No. 1, Zoumalou
Xinhualou Noodle at No. 20, Wuyi Xilu